By Chadd Cawson, The Columbia Valley Pioneer, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter
An untouched piece of Indigenous land called Halibut Island, also known as SISȻENEM, near Salt Spring Island, will be the first piece of land given back to an Indigenous community through a land trust. The nearly 436,000 square foot island has been stewarded by the Saanich, or W̱SÁNEĆ, Peoples for thousands of years.
Continue reading SISȻENEM will be the first land trust returned to a First Nation
By Alexandra Mehl, Ha-Shilth-Sa, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter
Tofino, BC – Among round tables, in a traditionally inspired longhouse, Naaʔuu invites community members to gather and celebrate Tla-o-qui-aht culture for an evening.
On March 16 the evening began with Hjalmer Wenstob, co-host and artistic director for Naaʔuu, along with singers welcoming guests with a paddle song. Soon after, the room filled with sounds of laughter and conversation as plates were brimming with salmon, mussels, and bannock, an abundance of coastal cuisine made by Heartwood Kitchen.
Wenstob said this event was an opportunity to tell Tla-o-qui-aht’s narrative from their own perspective.
Continue reading Naaʔuu, come together and feast, celebrates Tla-o-qui-aht culture with their own narrative
By Kaitlyn Bailey, Prince Rupert Northern View, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter
The B.C. RCMP will not respect a ban from the Gitxsan hereditary chiefs which prohibits the police force’s Community-Industry Response Group (C-IRG) from entering their traditional territories.
In an email to Black Press Media, Sgt. Kris Clark wrote that while the B.C. RCMP will “do everything possible” to respect the ban, they have obligations and responsibilities to enforce court injunctions and maintain public safety.
The C-IRG unit is “uniquely situated” to do these tasks through specific training and resources, Clark stated.
Continue reading RCMP do not agree to abide by Gitxsan chiefs’ ban on ‘militarized squadron’Originally published on by the Parliament of Canada
As a result of their deliberations committees may make recommendations which they include in their reports for the consideration of the House of Commons or the Government. Recommendations related to this study are listed below.
Continue reading Recommendations from the Standing Committee on Fisheries and OceansBy Alexandra Mehl, Ha-Shilth-Sa, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter
Since 1992, women have been gathering on Valentines Day in the Downtown Eastside for the women’s memorial walk in honor and remembrance of the missing and murdered Indigenous women, girls, and gender diverse peoples (MMIWG2S+).
According to the Native Women’s Association of Canada, British Columbia holds the highest number of MMIWG2S+ cases. Of the 582 missing or murdered cases that the NWAC gathered, 160 were in British Columbia, making up 27 per cent of the organization’s database as of 2010.
Continue reading Nuu-chah-nulth continue to be ‘100 per cent affected’ by MMIWG, says family support worker
